5 Simple Steps to Resolution-ary Success
If you are like a lot of people, you have at the very least thought about some changes that you wouldn't mind making for the New Year. Maybe you have decided you want to read more, manage your money better, stop smoking, go back to school or perhaps you want to focus on losing a few pounds and incorporate a healthier diet.
I recently read in an article by Steve Shapiro, the author of Goal-Free Living, that of the 45% of Americans that typically set New Year's Resolutions, only 8% of them are always successful in achieving those resolutions. Hmmm... that's a little bit of a downer statistic as we are just tip-toeing into January.
Stats like that almost mean that your resolution needs to be to stick to accomplishing your resolutions!
The good news is that there are steps you can take to help improve the odds that you will indeed accomplish all or at least some of your goals for the year.
Let's keep it short and simple by reviewing what I believe are the top 5 steps to ensure you will stick with those resolutions.
1. Narrow Your Focus: Anyone in health care will tell you that the human brain can really only focus on one 'thing' at a time. In other words... you can't consciously think about 2 or more ideas at the same time. And with the amount of stuff you have going on in your life on any given day, squeezing 6 new resolutions into the line of issues and tasks you have to sift through daily may not be reasonable.
With that in mind, try to force just one or maybe 2 major resolutions or goals into your already hectic routine. That will give you less to focus on and juggle which will likely increase the likelihood you will actually act on accomplishing those new year goals.
2. Make a Specific Plan: So you decided that you want to lose 40 pounds in the new year. Great! Now... How are you going to do it? And... When do you want to accomplish losing the first 10 pounds by?
Just saying you want to lose 40 pounds is not enough to make you lose 40 pounds. Even though I am NOT a fan of doing a bunch of saddling up before you ride, in this case you should do a little planning or else you will get lost in your own lack of direction.
Your plan doesn't have to be elaborate or researched in the least, but rather you must just have some plan to get you started. You can modify it as you go. If weight loss is your goal then you may just write down a simple outline such as:
- I will lose a minimum of 5 pounds per month for the next 8 months
- I will accomplish that by:
walking and jogging for 40 minutes 3 days a week minimum
Eating ice-cream only 1 day a week
Going from 3 to one soda a day
Not eating after 6:30pm.
3. Spend Some Money: This is a trick that will not work for everyone but for a lot of people it really will make a difference. This approach is to invest in your goal! Sticking with our weight loss theme (since I am in healthcare and all), the theory is that spending money on something that motivates you or commits you will increase the likelihood that you will stick with your resolution.
After all, you work hard for your money like anyone else does and you do not want to see it go to waste. So what would motivate you to get out and jog or to make your way into the nearby fitness center? Is it a new iPod? Great, get it. Is it that new pair of Nikes you've been eyeing? Great, reward yourself with them in celebration of what you are about to accomplish!
Another way money can help you to hit your goal is by committing you to sticking with it. With fitness, investing in a trainer can do just that. Now, you want to be careful that you don't get 'smooth talked' into a 2 year training package but what about just committing to 6 months. You will probably be capable of doing your workout on your own after that amount of time anyway.
4. Tell it to the World: So, you decided to get in better shape so you can look and feel more like you did before it got out of control; but now should you just keep it to yourself? You can, but statistically you are more likely to stay on course with your new direction if you have told others what you're up to.
A resolution that is communicated to friends and family, i.e. those that will support and motivate you, will hold you more accountable for failure in your own mind. Sure, they will still love you no matter your condition but you on the other hand will not want to let them down for fear that it will haunt you. Use that desire to keep you committed.
5. Get a Teammate: Staying on the same 'being held accountable' path, find yourself a teammate to go on your journey with you. Even if your resolution is to get your finances in order, your spouse or a close friend can still be a great ally if they also are trying to accomplish the same goal. Sit down together over a glass of wine or cup of coffee and begin looking at saving and investing options together. It is much more motivating and enjoyable when someone else is sharing in your financial misery! That was a joke by the way...
Committing to jogging 3 days a week? Have someone you meet at the track or gym to reduce the chances that you will back out because you 'just don't feel like it today.' Trying to eat better at work? Have a co-worker with the same goals to make your lunch buddy. You are less likely to cheat when he or she is standing right there next to you.
Look, you have likely got some plan in place to help you accomplish your goals and tasks at the office and so there is no reason that you shouldn't also have a plan of attack in place to accomplish your personal goals. There's a lot of people who say that resolutions are a waste of time. I don't agree. I believe that every time you set a goal to improve your life, whether as a resolution at the beginning of a year or any other time, you are one step closer to accomplishing it even when you fail.
Setting reasonable goals for yourself and putting the infrastructure in place to help you achieve those goals will significantly increase the chances that you will successfully get from point A to point B.
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